November 14, 2023
Registration is now open for the 2024 Minnesota Organic Conference, Minnesota’s only statewide conference on organic agriculture.
Hosted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the two-day conference will take place January 11 and 12, 2024, at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.
The event will feature keynote speakers and more than 30 breakout sessions providing educational opportunities in areas like organic crop production, dairy, livestock, fruits and vegetables, marketing, and business. Attendees will also have access to an 80-booth trade show featuring information about relevant products and services.
The keynote speakers for this year’s conference are Dr. Daphne Miller, a practicing family physician, science writer, professor, and research scientist focused on transforming our food system from the soil up, and Carolyn Olson, an experienced organic farmer and agricultural advocate from Cottonwood, Minnesota.
Early-bird pricing is currently available for those who register before December 1, after which prices will increase. Two-day, one-day, and student registration options are available. Full pricing details are available on the registration webpage.
For more information, visit the MDA’s Minnesota Organic Conference website.
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
January Food Safety and Defense Task Force Meeting
Starts:
Tue, 01/16/2024 - 1:30 pm
Ends:
Tue, 01/16/2024 - 3:30 pm
MDA is a:
Sponsor
Presenter
Details:
The Governor's Food Safety and Defense Task Force has continuously met since 1990 to discuss issues affecting Minnesota's food system. The Task Force is composed of seventeen members, ten of whom are appointed by the Governor's office, representing food regulatory agencies, agricultural industries, food related non-profit associations, and the University of Minnesota. Meetings of the Task Force are held every other month and are open to anyone interested.
Task force meetings are held in conformance with Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.015, upcoming meetings of the FSDTF have been scheduled and will be offered in-person with video-conference phone-in options.
The next meeting will be on January 16, 2024, at the Orville L. Freeman Building in St. Paul, MN.
Attend the January 16 meeting using Microsoft Teams
Or you can call in via audio conference (sorry, this is not a toll-free line) by calling: +1-651-395-7448
Phone Conference ID: 117 029 131#
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event please contact Natasha Hedin at 612-247-5888 or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 711 as soon as possible.
MFMA 2023 Annual Conference
Starts:
Wed, 12/6/2023 - 9:00 am
Ends:
Thu, 12/7/2023 - 4:00 pm
MDA is a:
Sponsor
Presenter
External Contact:
Sina W.P.
Details:
The Minnesota Farmers' Market Association (MFMA) supports and promotes farmers' markets across the state. MFMA's annual conference brings together market managers, farmers and other market vendors, public health professionals, food security organizations, and local foods supporters to network and learn about everything from market management best practices to marketing and farm profitability.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this anonymous seven question survey for the Down Payment Assistance Grant. Our goal is to collect demographic information and hear your feedback so we can continue to learn, make improvements, and grow the program to reach more farmers. Results from this survey may be published (without your name or other information that may identify you) in the MDA’s legislative report and other program evaluation.
November 29, 2023
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded over $1.2 million in 2023 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grants to 11 projects aiming to boost the competitiveness of Minnesota-grown specialty crops in domestic and foreign markets.
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds projects focused on marketing and promotion, research and development, expanding availability and access, and addressing challenges confronting producers of specialty crops. A full list of 2023 recipients and their projects can be found below.
“The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program supports innovation in Minnesota’s specialty crop sector and increases market opportunities for our producers,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “We thank USDA for their continued support that helps strengthen the competitiveness of Minnesota-grown crops.”
Grant funding is provided annually by a USDA Block Grant under the legislative authority of the Farm Bill. USDA defines specialty crops as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, floriculture, and processed products that have 50% or more specialty crop content by weight, exclusive of added water.
Applications for 2024 Specialty Crop Block Grants are anticipated to open in January. Visit the MDA website for more information on the grant program.
|
Grantee Organization Name |
Principle Investigator/ Project Coordinator |
Federal Award Amount |
Project Description |
|
Hmong American Farmers Association |
Dao Yang |
$96,578 |
Training Hmong farmers to access new markets and increase availability of locally grown tree fruit. |
|
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy |
Nora |
$60,095 |
Harvest of the Month programming for Minnesota's youngest eaters. |
|
Minnesota Farmers' Market Association |
Kathy Zeman |
$124,779.60 |
Translations of field conditions and price reporting for Minnesota specialty crops in multiple languages. |
|
Minnesota Department of Agriculture |
Michelle Grabowski |
$124,710 |
Identifying best management practices for red star rust, an invasive pathogen of apple and nursery crops. |
|
Minnesota Department of Agriculture |
Nicole Baysal |
$125,000 |
On-farm produce safety improvement grants and Produce Safety Rule grower training. |
|
Minnesota Department of Agriculture |
Rachel Wandrei |
$94,000 |
Statewide promotion of Minnesota Grown specialty crops. |
|
Regents of the University of Minnesota |
Dr. Brandon Miller |
$125,000 |
Jumping worm management in container nursery crops. |
|
Regents of the University of Minnesota |
Daniel Kaiser |
$124,533 |
Improving dry bean profitability in Minnesota by optimizing nutrient management. |
|
Regents of the University of Minnesota |
Matthew D. Clark |
$107,110 |
Assessing Rubus wild crop relatives for caneberry genetic improvement. |
|
Regents of the University of Minnesota |
Vera Krischik |
$125,000 |
Development of a biocontrol agent for Japanese beetle in Minnesota wine grapes, hops, berries, and apples. |
|
Sprout MN |
Taran Skwira |
$110,473.84 |
Specialty crop value education and expanding marketing efforts to rural communities. |
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Media Contact
Logan Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6193
Logan.Schumacher@state.mn.us
